Hope in God's Steadfast Nature

 

A photo from a cookie making event I did after FOCUS!

This month has really flown by! First of all, I want to report that I am only $240 a month away from my goal for this year, which is crazy! God has been so gracious to provide for me even when things seem complicated. Thank you for all your help and for allowing me to be able to do campus ministry. Your prayers and support mean the world to me. 

Now that the fundraising season is over, we have started prepping for the upcoming school year. We have paired up our student leaders who will lead our small groups, which is always an exciting and daunting task. We pair people together that we think would work well together and compliment each other. Pairing people together was actually made harder because we have so many solid people who will be leading this year. I am super excited about our leader team this year.

Here is a pic from a hike that I went on when Drew and I went to Colorado.
We went on what I am calling our cancermoon (before I started treatment)

We also have set our peer teams so I know who I am going to be investing in this year. The girls in my peer team are Ashley, Claire, Jessica, MacKenzie, Shannon, Alexis, Becca, and Keanna. I would love your prayers for their cores and personal ministry this year. What a fun group of girls. Claire and MacKenzie were in my core last year so I am excited to see how they step up and take ownership this next year and continue in the direction that God has been leading them. I will get weekly time with these girls, pray with them and help them navigate through ministry. It is so sweet to be able to walk alongside them during the year. I am excited for these friendships to grow and develop this year.

I am two weeks into treatment for my cancer and it is hitting me a bit harder than I would want it to be. But there is no convenient time to have cancer. I am thankful to be able to slow down in this season because it has helped me build a deeper relationship with Christ and really trust Him. My default is to fill my time and ignore what is going on inside of me, but God isn't letting me hide. I have been bringing my feelings of sadness and discouragement and am trying to lay them at his feet. I know He is building my character and toughening me up for the future. It makes this season one of hope and waiting to see where God shows up. I know He will. I trust that He will show up in this. I have seen little glimpses of it so far.

Here's me at my first treatment of Chemo.
I do chemo on Tuesdays so say a little prayer cause those are the hardest days

I have been trying to invest in the relationships with my doctors and nurses and be a light to them. I think it can be easy to want to go into the hospital and just be served and taken care of. I am looking for ways to help out the nurses and doctors there. If you know of any ways I could bless the medical people I interact with, I would love some ideas. 

I've been rereading the Old Testament again and one of the themes that has stood out to me is God's enduring nature. It gives me hope in this season of uncertainty. God will make a way to accomplish his will in this world. Covid won't stop him and neither will my cancer. I hope that encourages you to find where God is moving. I pray that God can help you see what he is doing in your life and the lives of those around you. I pray that your hope encourages those around you as well.